1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information management apparatus and a capsule endoscope inspection system for managing information in examinations using a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and captures images of inside of the subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, examinations using capsule endoscopes that are introduced into subjects and capture images of inside of the subjects are known in the field of endoscopes. A capsule endoscope is an apparatus that has a built-in imaging function, a built-in wireless communication function, and the like provided in a casing of a capsule shape formed in a size introducible into a digestive tract of a subject, and after being swallowed via a mouth of the subject, captures images while moving inside the digestive tract by peristaltic movement or the like and generates image data. The capsule endoscope sequentially and wirelessly transmits the generated image data to outside of the subject.
The image data wirelessly transmitted from the capsule endoscope is received by a receiving device provided outside the subject, and accumulated in a built-in memory or a portable memory. After the examination ends, the image data accumulated in the memory is transferred to an information processing apparatus, such as a workstation or a server, and subjected to specified image processing. A medical worker performs diagnosis on the subject by observing the images generated as described above.
The capsule endoscope is not able to move by itself, but is slowly moved by peristaltic movement of a digestive tract such as a small intestine. Therefore, for example, to observe the whole area of the small intestine, it normally takes at least 5 or 6 hours and it is difficult to control this time.
The receiving device is carried by the subject and is operated by a built-in rechargeable battery of the receiving device during the examination. Therefore, to prevent interruption of examinations due to empty charge in batteries, conventional receiving devices or information management apparatuses that register information or the like in the receiving devices are provided with functions to display remaining capacities of the batteries. In normal operation, a user uses a receiving device after he/she confirms that a battery is fully charged by using the above described function.
Furthermore, recent capsule endoscope inspection systems are provided with functions to determine whether receiving devices are able to operate for specified times at current remaining capacities of batteries and to display results of the determination (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-304513).
Moreover, chargeable capacities of rechargeable batteries are generally reduced with repeated charging and discharging, and therefore, available times in the fully charged states are gradually reduced. Therefore, some receiving devices are provided with functions to restrict use of receiving devices according to the number of times of charging and discharging, or functions to measure voltages in fully charged states and estimate whether operation for specified times are possible.